1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to threaded screw-like articles. More particularly, this invention relates to a threaded device having a drilling tip.
2. State of the Art
Molding is often nailed to the walls of a room to provide an attractive border to the room. Molding along the wall adjacent the floor is called baseboard molding. Molding along a central portion of the wall is called chair rail molding, often used to prevent the back of a chair from scraping and scarring the wall. The molding provided around a ceiling is referred to as crown molding and is often applied between the wall and ceiling at an angle such that the profile, or contoured pattern, of the face side of the molding is directed into the room. Coping is the process whereby the end of one piece of molding is shaped to seat flushly against the face of another piece. This ensures that the two pieces of molding have an attractive appearance when joined at an inside corner. Yet, the walls at an inside corner are not always true. Moreover, referring to FIG. 8, the drywall 210, 212 to which molding 214, 216 is attached includes a taper 218 along its edges intended to be filled by tape and joint compound, collectively 220. However, the tape and joint compound is often not applied at a lower taper 222 of the drywall 210, 212. Therefore, when the bottom 224 of baseboard molding 214 is nailed to the bottom plate 226 (the horizontal wooden stud which runs along the floor) or the lower portion of a vertical stud 228, the bottom 224 of the molding 214 gets xe2x80x9cpulled inxe2x80x9d at the location of the lower taper 222 of the drywall. As a result, a square cut end 232, or a skillfully coped end, of piece of molding 216 may not fit flushly against the xe2x80x9cpulled inxe2x80x9d adjoining molding piece 214, resulting in a non-flush fit and gap 236 at the bottom of the inside corner. As molding is decorative, a finished appearance is very important to the building owner, as well as to the skilled and proud craftsman.
Once a problem fit at an inside corner is recognized, it is common to try to resolve the problem and provide a flush fit by the use of one or more shims behind a first piece of molding which faces a coped edge of a second piece of molding to make a flush corner fit. However, the process of shimming requires loosening the attachment of the first piece of molding from the drywall, selection of an appropriate shim, insertion of the shim behind the molding, holding the coped end of the second piece of molding against the first piece, and a reevaluation of the fit. If the fit is not corrected, another shim is selected and inserted and again the fit is reevaluated. The process is repeated until a suitable fit is obtained, and then the first piece of molding is re-nailed to the wall, with shim in place, and the second piece is nailed to the adjoining wall with its coped end flush against the first piece. Another method for correction is to scribe the coped end of the molding for a proper fit against the xe2x80x9cpulled inxe2x80x9d molding, re-cut the coped molding along the scribe, and then re-cope the end of a piece of molding so that it fits flushly against the xe2x80x9cpulled inxe2x80x9d molding. Both methods are extremely labor intensive.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device which, at an inside corner, moves a first piece of molding flushly against an edge of a second piece of molding.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device which permits adjustable movement of the first piece of molding relative to the second piece of molding.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which can be used without loosening the first piece of molding from the wall.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a device which is capable of creating a tight fit between first and second pieces of molding over a great range of gap sizes therebetween.
In accord with these objects, which will be discussed in detail below, a drill screw is provided having a drill portion provided with cutting edges adapted to bore into wood when rotated in a first rotational direction (e.g., counterclockwise), a driver end opposite the drill portion, and a threaded portion between the drill portion and the driver end. The threaded portion is provided with threads adapted to tap into wood when rotated in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction (e.g., clockwise). The driver end has a diameter no greater the diameter of the threads (i.e., there is no head on the drill screw) to permit the driver end to be located below the surface of a piece of molding. As such, for stable rotation for insertion of the drill screw, the driver end is preferably provided with a hex opening adapted to receive an interference head of a driver, e.g., a hex bit, coupled to a preferably powered drill/driver.
In context, a first piece of molding is coupled to drywall (or another wall type) which overlies a wooden stud structure (e.g., 2xc3x974 stud framing over a bottom plate). A coped second piece of molding is then coupled to an adjacent wall, with the coped end of the second piece of molding meeting the face of the first piece of molding at an inside corner defined by the walls. If the bottom face of the first piece of molding does not form a flush interface with the coped end, it is necessary to move the bottom end of the first piece toward the second piece at the corner to provide a clean look.
The drill screw of the invention is then driven in the first rotational direction to bore a hole at least through the bottom of the first piece of molding. The drill screw is then driven in the second rotational direction causing the threads to engage and tap into the molding. When the drill screw sufficiently enters the molding a distance such that the end of the drill portion contacts the bottom plate (or stud), it is noted that the drill screw rubs, but does not bore into (or further into) the bottom plate (or stud) in the clockwise direction. As the drill screw does not move into the bottom plate or stud, the molding around the drill screw is forced away from the drywall and toward the coped end of the adjoining molding, thereby closing the gap between the two pieces of molding and providing a clean molding interface at the corner. It is noted that because the first piece of molding is also secured to the bottom plate or stud structure with nails, the molding must be forced over the head of the nails. This is possible, as the force of the drill screw overpowers the grip of the nails. Moreover, the top of the molding does not pull away from the wall at other locations to create a different unsightly gap. Once the gap is closed, the driver is removed from the driver end of the drill screw. The bore between the driver end of the drill screw and the surface of the first piece of molding is then filled with a wood fill or covered by a shoe molding for finishing.
In view of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the drill screw of the invention permits both pieces of molding at a corner to be attached to the wall and then, if necessary, adjusted without removal of either piece of molding. The adjustment is relatively quick, requiring only a single drill screw of the invention and a driver for the tool.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.